Fishing-bob.



F. F. WOOTON.

PISHIN G 1303.

' Patented Dec.14,1909.

FLOYD FLETCHER WOOTON', OF MILFORD, MICHIGAN.

FISHING-BOB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1909.

Application filed June 17, 1908. Serial No. 438,988.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, FLoYu FLEToHER lVoo'roN, a citizen of'the United States, residing at Milford, in the county of Oakland and'State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fishing-Bobs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fishing floats or lVith these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention; it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the invention may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawingsFigure 1 is a side elevation showing the bob loose upon the line Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the bob in engagement with the retaining member upon the line. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view, enlarged, showing .a portion of the line and the retaining member upon the latter. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating an auxiliary retaining member-sometimes used in connection with the device. Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the bob in position upon the line and retained in position upon said line by means of a half-hitch.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

The float or bob 5 may be of any desired size and shape, and it may be made of any material which will give it sufiicient buoyancy, or it may, if preferred, be made of such material as metal, in which event it will be made hollow in order to impart the re uisite degree of buoyancy. Usually the bob indicated in the drawing, but this is entirely optional.

, The bob is provided with a longitudinal bore 6; this bore may be formed direct in the material of which the bob is composed, but in the drawings it has been illustrated as comprising a metallic tube 7, provided with terminal flanges 8, abutting upon the ends-of the bore; the bore channel isprovided intermediate its ends with an annular flange 9, which, under the construction illustrated, is formed by making an annular indentation 10 in the tube 7.

The float or bob is adjusted upon the line 11, by passing the latter through the bore 6; and for the purpose of retaining the bob in the desired position upon the line the latter is provided with a retaining member 12,v

which has been shown as being formed of a piece of silk or other thread by wrapping the latter several times around the line to form a collar or ferrule of suitable dimensions, the same being secured by tying the ends of the thread together to form a knot 13. A stop member of this character possesses the advantages of being very easily formed by means of a short iece of ordinary thread or twine; it will readily remain in any position upon the line where it may be placed, and at the same time its position may be very easily changed by simply sliding or pushing it along the line without the least danger of abrading or injuring the latter. It is obvious that the stop member should be made of such dimensions that it will slip readily through the bore 6, of the bob, but will be obstructed by the annular flange 9, formed intermediate the ends of the bore. It will also be seen that, owing to the fact that the ends of the tube 7, which forms the bore, are unobstructed, the stop-member 12 is at all times readily accessible for adjustment or replacement, as may be required.

It will be readily seen from the foregoing description that the stop member may be readily adjusted so as to obstruct the bob at any desired point upon the line; the use of the improved bob will thus allow still fishing with any casting rod, more especially with short length casting rods, such as are now generally used, as it permits reeling the bait to within a few inches of the tip of the pole, which is absolutely necessary in order to enable a-cast to be properly made with a short rod.

' I will be made of the approximate egg-shape 7 The use of the improved bob does not restrict the length of the cast, nor the depth to which the bait may be suspended. The bob may be raised or lowered and adjusted in the desired position instantly, and without removing it from the line. It does not at any time interfere with the reeling of the bait to the tip of the rod; it may be used in connection with a rod or pole of any length and of any construction; it contains no intricate or complicated parts liable to get out of order;

it cannot become detached from the line in casting out or reeling in; it does not interfere with the landing of the fish; it is not liable to be injured or destroyed by ordinary use; it is at all times entirely automatic in its action and it may be used upon any size of line.

If it should be desired at any time, the bob may be secured against displacement upon the line by inserting into the short end of the bore 6, a small plug 14 of wood or other suitable material, as indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawing.

In Fig. 5 another modification has been illustrated, which consists in forming the tube, here designated 15, which extends through the bob with a projectionl6, at one end upon which a half-hitch 17 of the line may be made.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A device of the character described, comprising a bob having a longitudinal bore, a

tubular member arranged in the bore of the bob and having an annular inwardly extending rib intermediate its ends and the ends of the bob, a line extending through the tubular member, and an obstr'ucting member mounted upon and slidably connected with the line for enga cment with the rib u on the tubular member, said rib and sli able member being normally disposed within and intermediate the ends of the bob.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FLOYD FLETCHER WVOOTON. v WVitnesses: EARL LOVEJOY, T. C. BARTHOLOMEW. 

